Soun turned to Genma. "Think we should have told her about it first?"
Meanwhile, Ranma was having an interesting time trying to escape Ukyo and Shampoo. "Lucky nobody's here for my female side," he muttered to himself, firmly untangling himself from Shampoo's arms. "Then we'd really have a mess."
Akane burst back out. "Ranma! Are you really going to stand for this?!"
Ranma' head swiveled around. "Huh? No way! I'll marry whoever I want, when I want!"
Akane glared. "Then you'd better get Ukyo off, or she'll drag you to the nearest church!"
Ranma sighed and pushed Ukyo gently. "Maybe I will marry Ukyo," he told Akane.
"Of course you're marrying me!" Ukyo said surely. "Who else?"
"Um, me, perhaps?" Akane blurted, then slapped a hand over her mouth.
Ranma stopped in mid-step. "Huh?"
"I mean, only if our fathers make us. Who'd want to be married to a pervert like you?"
Ranma was in her face instantly. "I am NOT a pervert!" he yelled.
"Yes you ARE!" Akane retorted, shoving her face so far into Ranma's that their noses touched suddenly. It was that small contact that stopped them both and had them looking – no one dared call it gazing – into each other's eyes.
Akane could count on one hand the amount of times she'd been this close to Ranma. But their noses hadn't really touched. Oh, for God's sake, she told herself briskly, it's just one little touch! But why was her heart beating rather loudly – again?
"Ranma!" cried Shampoo, tearing Ranma away from the eye lock. "You going to kiss Akane?!"
"NO WAY!" Ranma cried. "Who'd want to kiss a macho chick like her anyways?" he asked, flipping his braid over his shoulder.
"ME!" cried Kuno, who immediately rushed up to Akane, swept her into his arms and said, "Dearest Akane, I know how Ranma has hurt you. Now trust in me and allow me to ask you out!"
"WHA? Um, Kuno," Akane said, a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead, "Ranma has NOT broken my heart, and I will never go out with you!"
"Me!" "No, me!" "Go out with me, Akane!" the boys from Furikan High School shouted.
"Now, if you'd please put me down—" Akane stopped short as Kuno's head dipped down – to try to kiss her!
At once, Kuno's head was attacked by Ranma's foot, Ryoga's umbrella, and the school boys' random things such as apples, schoolbooks, and a paperclip.
Akane's face became visible once again, bright red and with a hand covering her mouth.
"Don't you ever try to foul Akane's mouth again!" Ranma yelled.
"Shut up, Ranma, I can handle this myself!" Akane yelled back.
"Well, pardon me if I try to make sure no other boys kiss you!" Ranma shouted. At once, everything was a bit quieter.
"...no other boys kiss you!"
Murmurs began to erupt from the crowd. "No other boys—" "What did he mean by that?" "Hey, he likes Akane!" "She's mine!"
Ranma's cheeks turned red. Akane stared at him.
"Why'd you say that?" Akane asked quietly.
"Because I can't stand the thought of someone else's lips touching you," Ranma said, ducking his head.
"Someone else's?" Akane asked, feeling a bit lightheaded.
Ranma drew closer. "Yeah...only mine I'm okay with," he murmured, face dropping down towards hers.
BA-DMP, BA-DMP, went Akane's heart as she began to close her eyes.
"Gotcha!" Ranma cried, poking Akane and sending her toppling over.
Akane's face was redder than a tomato. "Ranma, you JERK!" she yelled, slapping him. "Go ahead and marry whoever you want! See if I care! I think I'll kiss whoever I want!"
She stormed inside, past Kasumi, who was on her way out.
"Um, Father, what's wrong with Akane?" she asked Soun.
"She's upset again," was the reply.
"I could see that," Kasumi sighed. She went back into the house, up the stairs, and knocked on Akane's door.
"Who is it?" asked a teary voice.
"It's Kasumi," she replied.
After a moment the door opened, and Kasumi was faced with her teary-eyed sister.
"Akane, what happened?" Kasumi came in, closing the door behind her and sitting with Akane on her bed.
"Ranma pretended to try to kiss me and then he pushed me and – and – oh, I don't know what I'm so upset about!" Akane sobbed. "He's such a jerk!"
"Maybe you like him," Kasumi said gently.
"WHA?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! I'M CRYING BECAUSE HE HUMILIATED ME AND YOU SUGGEST I LIKE HIM?!"
"Maybe."
Akane stared at her sister. "How can you say something like that?"
"Because I've seen how you two act around each other."
"Yeah, he calls me a macho chick and I beat him up. What's so remarkable about that?"
"I know he likes you."
"WHA?!?!?"
"Oh yes. And I think you like him too."
Akane's jaw would have left her head if it'd dropped any farther. "You're crazy," she told her sister. "Absolutely nuts. You're off your rocker. Missing some marbles."
"Before you run out of ways to tell me I'm wrong, let me excuse myself," Kasumi said, and she left, closing the door behind her.
"Me and Ranma liking each other?" Akane mused to herself. "Ha! Fat chance!"
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A/N: Okey-day, folks, hope you liked that, you know what to do! ::points to button:: Review!